10 Productivity Hacks From Startup Founders That Will Make You More Successful

Posted by Susy Alexandre on July 28, 2017

These startup founders have been through the mill on their journey to the top and know a thing or two about the benefits of a solid hack. Here, we’ve sourced the best tips from some of the brightest minds when it comes to productivity. Check out these hacks to help give you that extra edge when it comes to your own journey to success!

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Bryan Hassin, CEO of Smart OES on “airplane time”

On making the most of your time, Bryan Hassin suggests designating “airplane time.” From an excerpt shared on ScribblePost.com, Bryan explains how when he realized just how high his productivity levels on long flights, he knew he had to recreate that effect on the ground.

“Now, at the beginning of each week, I carefully look at my schedule and declare one day (or two half days) to be Airplane Time. I block it out on my shared calendar and treat it as if I were in the air: working out of the office, disabling my phone, and shutting off network connections on my laptop. The rest of the days are for meetings, etc. but this blocked out time each week is my most productive by far.”

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Mikael Cho, Founder/CEO of Unsplash on managing the small choices

As shared via an article on Quora:
“Being a productive CEO is not any different than being productive at anything in life. It comes down to how well you manage the small choices you make every day.”

“Do you watch Netflix or do you go to sleep? Do you go to the networking event or do you write that sales email? Do you take that coffee meeting or do you work on your investor presentation? Everything you do has an opportunity cost.”

Tracy Osborn, CEO, Wedding Lovely on efficient email strategies

From an article on Business Insider Tracy suggests keeping a clean inbox to minimize clutter and maximize productivity.

“The only emails in your inbox should be ones you don't expect. Set up aggressive filtering, unsubscribe from everything you can, and archive unneeded messages.
Having a clean inbox — once you get into the habit, it's not that hard — will get your day started out on the right foot to get your most important items done.”

Bevan Barton, founder of Bountify on the benefit of daily routines

You may have heard it before, but it's because it's so true: humans benefit from the power of habit. Says Barton, “…Establishing a morning routine has done more for my productivity than anything else.”

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Brittany Hodak, Co-founder of ZinePak on scheduling

First shared on 33voices.com, Brittany Hodak, co-founder of ZinePak, says her number one tip for maximizing productivity is an iron-clad schedule.

“Schedule, schedule, schedule! It’s way too easy to skip something that isn’t in your calendar. I always say that if something isn’t in my calendar, it isn’t in my life. This extends to everything I do: work meetings, outings with friends, gym sessions, and times for specific tasks. It takes a lot less willpower to do something that’s scheduled than to 'find time' to deal with an outstanding item on your to-do list.”

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Simon Slade, CEO and co-founder of Affilorama and SaleHoo on tackling the worst first

Simon Slade, in an article on KeepInspiring.me says tackling the thing you are least looking forward to first will leave you free to do your best work. Explains Slade, “With that exasperating chore out of the way, your mind will be free from the anxiety it brings, and it’ll be easier to concentrate on other tasks.”

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Lisa Curtis, CEO and Founder of Kuli Kuli on the productive powers of meditation

In an online article for RocketScience.com, Lisa Curtis shared that one of her top personal tips for productivity is morning meditation. Says Curtis, “I start every morning with meditation. I spend about 15 minutes in meditation to make my head clear. This is to me the ideal way to start my day. Next to that, I try to run almost every morning.”

Alex Capecelatro, Co-Founder and CEO of Josh on the power of post-it notes

Says Capecelatro in an article on FoundersGrid.com, “I use post-it notes for everything. It’s my memory on paper. I like to get everything out so I can see what needs to be tackled first. Being productive is about tackling the right thing at the right time.”

Interviewed for an article on LifeHack.org, Floyd Marinescu explains that one of his ultimate productivity hacks is actually a combination of things that have become a tried and true recipe for maximum productivity. Says Marinescu, “I walk 2-3 hours every day, write four hundred words each day and tell two people I appreciate them.”